Optical pickup carrying system

Abstract

An optical pickup carrying system includes a base on which a turn table can be disposed rotatably for placing a disk thereon, an optical pickup movably disposed in the base for reading a signal recorded on the disk, a guide rail disposed in the base and provided with sliding surfaces on which a level positioning member secured to the optical pickup and a plate spring can slide, respectively, for guiding and supporting the optical pickup in cooperation with the level positioning member and plate spring when the optical pickup moves, and a groove formed in the sliding surface for storing grease.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An optical pickup carrying system comprising: a base having a turn table disposed thereon for rotating a recording medium;   an optical pickup, movably disposed on said base, for reading information from the recording medium;   a support means coupled to said optical pickup for supporting said optical pickup;   a guide rail disposed on said base, said guide rail having at least one sliding surface on which said support means can slide so as to move said optical pickup along said guide rail; and   lubricating agent storing means formed as at least one depression in at least one sliding surface of said guide rail for retaining lubricating agent previously provided on the sliding surface,   wherein said guide rail has an upper sliding surface and a lower sliding surface on which said support means can slide, and said lubricating agent storing means retains lubricating agent on at least one of the two sliding surfaces,   wherein said lubricating agent storing means includes at least one row of plural cavities formed on at least one of the upper sliding surface and lower sliding surface and running in parallel with a direction of optical pickup movement.   
     
     
       2. The optical pickup carrying system according to claim 1, wherein said lubricating agent storing means includes at least one groove formed on at least one of the upper sliding surface and the lower sliding surface of said guide rail and running in parallel with a direction of optical pickup movement. 
     
     
       3. The optical pickup carrying system according to 1, wherein said lubricating agent storing means includes at least one row of cavities formed on the upper sliding surface and running in parallel with the direction of optical pickup movement, and at least one row of cavities formed on the lower sliding surface and running in parallel with the direction of optical pickup movement. 
     
     
       4. The optical pickup carrying system according to claim 1, wherein said guide rail is solid.